OLA — Several Yell County agencies assisted in the water rescue of three Russellville men last week.

Jeff Gilkey, Yell County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) director, said a man called 911 on the morning of Dec. 24 and told dispatch he and his friends needed help because their truck had washed off the roadway after crossing the Petit Jean River Bridge on Dale Bend Road near Ola.

When officers, led by Michael Spears of the Yell County Sheriff's Office (YCSO), arrived on the scene, they found Cory Rager walking out of the water. Spears helped Rager out of the water and asked Rager about his friends, Andrew Green and Shane Hampton.

Rager said his friends had gotten to a fence, but couldn't go any further because they were too cold. Gilkey said the temperature was around 20 degrees, and one of the men was barefoot.

Responders initially tried to rescue the two using a flat-bottom boat, but the water was too shallow. Instead, Spears — outfitted in a dive suit made for cold water — waded into the water with rescuers following him in a four-wheel drive truck.

Spears located the pair, who were then driven back to the road.

"They were lucky it was shallow enough to get the truck in where they were," Gilkey said.

The Yell County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) checked out the three men on the scene, and none were taken to the hospital.

Danville Rescue and Yell County Dive Team assisted OEM and the YCSO with the rescue.

"I'm thankful for such responders," Gilkey said. "We couldn't do it without them."